Execution of Poet Nasimi 1930

Azim Azimzade created this striking painting, Execution of Poet Nasimi, using oil paint to capture a brutal historical moment. The artist's touch feels direct; the scene rendered with loose brushstrokes and a colour palette that oscillates between muted earth tones and stark reds, immediately drawing you into the drama. There's a rawness to the painting, not just in its subject matter, but also in the application of paint. Notice the viscous quality, particularly in the blood. It’s as if Azimzade wanted us to confront the visceral reality of the event. It's impossible to ignore the emotional intensity, the artist implicating us in this act through the disturbing verisimilitude. That stark contrast, between the buildings in the background rendered in soft focus and the hyperreal scene of violence at the forefront, almost feels surreal. The uncompromising perspective reminds me of Otto Dix's war paintings, those unflinching depictions of trauma. Art doesn’t always have to be pretty; sometimes it needs to be a mirror reflecting the harsh realities of our history.